


The Curse Breaker

by irislim



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Teachers, F/M, Friendship, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:00:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26834095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irislim/pseuds/irislim
Summary: A Hinny teacher AU. Canon-ish.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley
Comments: 45
Kudos: 51





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I love Hogwarts, but as a relative newcomer to the fandom, I might not know as many details of the Wizarding World as accurately as I'd like. If you find any inconsistencies, please let me know. Thank you! This work is posted in honor of World Teacher's Day :)

I Late August, and with it, the tail end of precious, lingering summer days, were not what they used to be as far as Ginny Weasley was concerned. But that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

The Hogwarts stairways and hallways glimmered with a fresh coat of scrubbing. The air outside cooled with every passing day, hinting at perfect Quidditch weather before long. She roamed the grounds often, flying and soaring and dipping as she pleased - ostensibly as preparation for the day she would have to introduce trembling, starry-eyed first years to their first flying lesson - then, personally, just for the thrill of the wind in her hair.

Madam Hooch, as with so many of the older teachers, had retired soon after the war.

And when the offer from Professor McGonagall had first come to Ginny's door, a request to continue the legacy of Hogwarts' most legendary Quidditch referee, the letter had beckoned to Ginny like nothing else had since her acceptance letter from Hogwarts.

She'd said yes within two days - to the surprise of her siblings and the delight of her father. Bill understood, somewhat. Fleur and her love for knowledge, and the tempering power of fatherhood, had made her eldest brother as benevolent and compassionate as he was charismatic. And while, to many, the idea of returning to Hogwarts a mere year after completing one's studies may feel like a step back, only her own family knew the sort of bravery it took to commit to work in the place where Fred had last stood, last laughed, and last fallen.

Her family doubted her, just for a little, before the sincere congratulations came.

And here she was today, Madam Weasley, respected and feared by all for her ferocious flying skills and unflappable spirit. There were rumors, Ginny knew, that Professor McGonagall was expecting to increase Ginny's responsibilities soon, perhaps in the form of additional classes to teach or roles to play.

The rumors didn't matter.

The day she had received the letter from Hogwarts had been the day she destroyed the draft notice from the Holyhead Harpies.

She never looked back.

Every person had his part to play in recovering from the war.

Being part of the process of piecing Hogwarts back together - of being present for the new generation as they navigated a world without Voldemort - was her piece of the puzzle, her part in the grand scheme of things.

And she knew what she was worth as an instructor more than anyone in the world could understand.

She didn't need glamor, or danger, or a platform with the world's eyes on her to lend meaning to her life. The sense of fulfillment that rushed within her every time a struggling student finally soared with her broom, perhaps even growing to be an excellent Quidditch player, was more than enough for Madam Weasley.

"Ouch!" Ginny tugged the edge of her ear, right where the frazzled owl had brushed past her in its haste. She understood that the owls needed _something_ to do over the holidays, before the frenzy of students' arriving began; but she didn't have to agree with Professor McGonagall allowing Filch to use them to summon teachers in her stead.

Lord knew they didn't need anything more roaming about. The students would take care of that in a matter of days.

"Tell her I'm coming," Ginny ordered the frowning owl before setting a course herself for the castle.

With all the dorms readied and all the grounds cleaned, there were precious few days - hours, really - until the students came to make a mess of it all. September 1st and all its excitement often comprised the most exciting, and exhausting, day of the year.

She would know. She had been at this job for three whole years, after all.

"I see we are all present," Professor McGonagall remarked, her eyes roaming over the classroom, a half hour later. Ginny smirked from her seat on the frontmost corner. It was a nice seat, a good seat.

It was a spot that was far too close to the front to have anyone accuse her of inattentiveness, but it was, all at the same time, a spot far too close to the side for anyone speaking to pay any true attention to her.

There were things one learned as a pupil that proved useful even as an adult.

"As we know, the students shall arrive in two days' time," the headmistress began. The staff and faculty, seasoned in their respective expectations, muttered softly in excitement or groaned in despair. "I trust we are all hard at work to ensure that things are in order and ready for a proper commencement for the school year. If there are any materials or situations that may require adjustments on the administration's part, I hope you all take this opportunity to address them posthaste."

"Professor McGonagall?" A hand shot up from the second row. Ginny knew from the voice that it was Neville. "The repairs for Greenhouse Three may not be done until the third. Shall we delay Herbology for the second years?"

"Your concern is noted. They may have a reading hour in place of their first Herbology class."

"Thank you."

Professional and succinct, the headmistress fielded question after question, even when the relatively young faculty members acted as jittery and silly as first years from time to time. Ginny did love working for and with McGonagall. There were things only a Gryffindor could brave.

Discussion ensued about preparing the new prefects, on the rules regarding the head boy and girl. Several teachers expressed differing opinions about the need for a Yule Ball. Hagrid enthusiastically mentioned a new breed of creatures he planned to introduce this year. Beatrice Winslet, Head of Ravenclaw, reminded everyone present of the occasional panic a new student may express if unable to see a Thestral and the suggested means of addressing such a concern.

And when the questioned dwindled, at long last, Ginny waited eagerly for Professor McGonagall to conclude their tiresome meeting.

"As we all know, students are ever curious regarding any changes in the faculty in Hogwarts," she announced. Heads nodded. Everyone was antsy, Ginny knew. "And it is therefore imperative that we all understand each other's roles and assist each other in fulfilling them. Our Heads of houses this year, as they were last year, are Carlisle for Slytherin, Koribu for Hufflepuff, Prewett for Gryffindor, and Winslet for Ravenclaw. Shall we acknowledge and encourage them in their roles?"

A spattering of polite applause rippled through the room. Ginny sneaked in a whistle for Beatrice, who only glared at her friend.

"And, as we have already reviewed your teaching assignments in our previous meeting, we have only to introduce to you now the final addition to our faculty this year. As I am sure you are aware, we have been searching for a new teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts since Professor Winslet left us."

"Your sister _had_ to elope, didn't she?" Ginny grinned at Beatrice.

Beatrice rolled her eyes. "I know."

"I am aware, of course, that many have associated professors who take up the mantle of this position as having - shall we say, short-lived teaching careers," Professor McGonagall continued. She paced the length of the classroom. "But it is my hope that our new colleague this year shall be one who provides our students with a lengthier time of instruction that previous teachers in his post have had the opportunity to."

"Who would take up a cursed job?" Ginny whispered.

Beatrice shrugged. "Someone desperate, perhaps?"

"Our new colleague is an _extremely_ qualified individual." McGonagall cleared her throat. Ginny felt a tiny bit guilty. "As an Auror on sabbatical, he is sacrificing important personal time to assist us here in Hogwarts."

Muted murmurs rumbled about.

"Dear faculty and staff, please do join me in welcoming our newest colleague." McGonagall gestured to the door - the door right in front of Ginny - which opened just then to expose a tall, thin man with dark, black hair. Ginny felt her lungs sew themselves flat. "Professor Harry Potter."


	2. Chapter 2

"Feels strange being back, doesn't it?"

"I - I suppose." Ginny sighed. She forced a grin as she walked down the hallway towards the teachers' quarters, Harry on her trail.

"You were always friends, weren't you? Madam Weasley, can you please show Professor Potter the ropes on all the faculty privileges and premises? Thank you," McGonagall had said - with no irony, and no hesitation.

As added responsibilities went, this was the last thing Ginny ever expected.

"You get used to it, over time," Ginny spoke gently as they wandered up the tower on the opposite side of the Great Hall. "But it may help to learn a trick or two with regards to finding your way to your office without being spotted by any students."

"I would think the students ought to be afraid of us."

"You would think, but that is sorely not the case. The power to add or take away points from each House comes at the unfortunate cost of having students overly curious regarding your personal life." Ginny laughed. It was rather gratifying to see Harry smile too. "The girls, in particular."

He looked older now - a hint of a fine line or two gracing his features. His hair, though untamable as ever, looked finer and flatter, to a certain degree.

"Should I teach in disguise?"

"I doubt it would work once word gets out that the famous Harry Potter is Hogwarts' latest new professor. The parents will be sending in their children in droves."

"I hope Professor McGonagall didn't just take me in for the publicity."

"Well, you never know, do you?" Ginny smiled. They wandered down the hallway. She mentioned hall duty and the finer points on maintaining disinterest as House rivalries went.

"Are you telling me you haven't been abusing your powers all this time to make sure Gryffindor wins the Quidditch _and_ House Cup every single year? Ginny, I'm disappointed."

Ginny chuckled softly. It felt strange being addressed like this.

For years now, she had been Madam Weasley - or Weasley, at most. And whenever Neville, Beatrice, Carlisle, or even Hagrid called her by her childhood name, they never sounded quite so personal.

"It is rather unfortunate that I _must_ remain impartial during every Quidditch match." She smiled as they turned the corner. She pointed out a secret back passage to the Owlery, and a window with a particularly nice view. "I have no other choice if I want to keep my job, really. They're not all that easy to come by."

Harry stopped then, in the middle of the hallway.

Ginny paused and turned around.

"You cannot mean that," Harry stated, his hands in his pocket like a true adult man.

"Mean what?"

"You cannot truly be implying that you possibly _need_ this job."

"Oh." Ginny thought for a moment. It had been a while since she had been anything but Madam Weasley. It was almost strange to have someone imply that she _could_ be anything else but Madam Weasley. "I'm not sure there are that many openings going about for flying instructors and Quidditch referees."

"I heard about the Harpies," he blurted, bluntly.

Suddenly, Ginny felt the weight of the world's judgment on her shoulders, again, and she didn't quite like the feeling.

"Mum told you."

"I heard through the grapevine." Harry shrugged. "I have to say I was surprised to hear about your choosing Hogwarts over that."

Ginny shrugged as well. "It - happened."

"I thought all you ever wanted was to play Quidditch."

There was an odd sort of mixed emotions inside her - almost as if she liked that he thought of her preferences and yet disliked that he presumed so much about them.

"I _am_ playing Quidditch, Harry, every day." She blinked a little. She began to regret, if only for a bit, that she hadn't turned down the task of bringing Harry around as soon as the headmistress had mentioned it. "And I _like_ my job, very much."

He watched her quietly, as if evaluating the truthfulness of her answer as only an Auror could.

She decided to walk back towards him, stopping just short of his chest.

"I could ask the same of you, Harry." They were not alone. There was a fireplace right behind her. Any teacher could floo in at any moment. The teachers' wing, while more sparsely occupied, was hardly a private place. It was not entirely wise to stand so close to a colleague, or even a friend. "Why are you - savior of the wizarding world, the most talented Auror in a generation - taking up the most cursed post at Hogwarts?"

He looked serious at first.

Then, perhaps having caught the slight twitch of her eye, slowly smiled.

"Believe in curses now, don't we?" He quipped.

"We haven't been able to keep a single Defense of the Dark Arts teacher since _we_ were students ourselves."

"What happened to the others?"

"One died, one eloped, one left to care for his brother. I don't know about the rest."

"Not a very encouraging set of circumstances, is it?"

"No, not at all." Gradually, she smiled too.

"You know what I liked most about Hogwarts?"

"Other than the company of my ridiculous brothers?"

"That, for sure." Harry smiled. His eyes, despite the dark circles, looked almost cheerful behind his round glasses. "And I - I enjoyed being around people who _liked_ magic, who reveled and thrived in using it."

"Unlike your muggle family."

Harry exhaled. "Yes."

Ginny nodded. It was turning out to be a rather intensive tour, if not in the actually touring part of the word. The way they teeter-tottered between introspective moments and light-hearted quips was frankly making her a little dizzy.

"Well, I suppose we all live under curses of our own." She smiled.

"Any other secrets a new teacher needs to know about?"

Now, she laughed. "I don't think this one has anything to do with teaching at Hogwarts."

Harry frowned. "You're cursed?"

Ginny chuckled. "I suppose you could say so."

"Who cursed you? In what way?"

"I don't know who did, quite frankly." Ginny masked a nervous chuckle with a sigh. "But I am almost entirely sure that its effects are conclusive and strong."

"What sort of curse? You can't possibly be serious."

"Well." Ginny shrugged, squared her shoulders, and looked up towards the first boy she had ever truly loved. She smirked. "Apparently, I can't keep a boyfriend, and anyone I _do_ date inevitably falls into some sort of trouble."

"That's ridiculous, Gin. How could a curse like that possibly - "

"Oh, I tell you." She grinned. "This curse is most _definitely_ true."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the Hinny overload!


	3. Chapter 3

"Oh, I tell you. This curse is most _definitely_ true."

Harry cocked his head to the side, his eyes a mixture of disbelief and reprimand.

Ginny grinned. "I know you don't take stock into social curses, what with all your fancy Auror training."

Now, at least, he had the good sense to look a little shy.

"You can't mean that."

"About your being an Auror?"

"About this stupid idea of a curse."

Ginny chuckled. She turned and started walking. Harry followed suit.

"It's as true, at least, as the Defense of the Dark Arts teacher curse," said Ginny, when they reached the corner. She pointed out a magical, smaller version of the House points hourglasses before turning. "You of all people should know my boyfriends never end up alright."

"I'm alive, aren't I?"

She made sure to be looking away.

"Michael and Dean were both hurt during the Battle of Hogwarts," she narrated as they descended a flight of shifting stairs. "Eric from the Falcons got into that horrendous scandal over the locker room thing, and Chad hit himself with a curse and had to retire."

"Chad?" Harry asked, after she'd guided them safely back to the first floor. She motioned at the private tunnel to the kitchen. It came in handy when teachers needed some snacks on the side while grading essays, she'd heard.

"Chad Haden."

"The professor?"

"Yes, he taught Defense of the Dark Arts the first year I was back. Nice fellow. Percy loved him."

Harry snorted. "As much as Ron loved Eric Daccarat, I'm sure."

It surprised her, a little, that he had kept tabs on her love life.

"My brothers always did takes sides." Ginny smiled.

They walked companionably towards the part of the castle where McGonagall had indicated Harry's office would be.

It only bugged Ginny slightly that it had a very good view of _her_ office, just another bend down the hall.

"You have two whole days to make it your own," she reminded, when they both entered the tiny, if cozy, space. "And to plot up your dastardly detentions."

Harry smiled. "I don't expect to hand those out quite often."

"You'd be surprised." Ginny smiled too. "There really _are_ times that call for it, House loyalty aside."

Harry smiled back so tenderly that Ginny almost felt the room grow smaller.

She cleared her throat. "Anyway, that should do it for the castle faculty tour. Do let me know if you have anything else you want to ask."

"Where's my room?"

Ginny almost blushed.

Of course she had forgotten that one little detail.

"Come on, I'll show you." She moved towards the door.

"And show me your room as well, while you're at it?"

"Harry, if that is a line you use on the ladies, then you have a long ways to go."

"I'm sorry. Auror training doesn't really cover small talk."

Ginny led them out the hallway with a smile. "I hope all that training covers how to break lifelong curses then."

"For your sake?"

"My sake?"

"The curse breaking."

"I'm talking about your new very cursed job, Harry, what do you think I could be - " The answer dawned on her just when she turned to face him.

And he smiled softly - almost awkwardly - at her, as only Harry Potter could.

Ginny sighed. "Be careful when the students get here. They pick up on things like that."

"Things like what?"

"Awkward attempts at small talk."

"What could they do about it?"

"At best, call you names. At worst, start a fan club dedicated to your delightful social awkwardness."

"I doubt it."

"You'd be surprised." She smiled.

"Young girls have no business crushing on a teacher."

"Do you or do you not remember Gilderoy Lockhart?"

Harry winced. Ginny laughed.

"They really ought to leave the crushing to the teachers."

"A teacher-student crush? Harry, I never pegged you to be - "

"I was talking more about - a teacher- _teacher_ crush - maybe."

His eyes met hers slowly, almost hesitantly. She swallowed.

"Harry," she warned.

"Is it so bad that I am very glad about McGonagall asking _you_ to tour me around?"

She took a deep, fortifying breath. "Harry, I'm cursed."

"I don't believe that."

"My third boyfriend was almost killed by Voldemort."

"And yet, here he stands."

They smiled at each other - the awkwardness of the past resurfacing and ebbing every other moment like a gentle summer sea.

"No one wants to come near me, Harry."

"What if I do?"

She pondered his words, reflected softly on what exactly he's implying.

"You don't, Harry. You really, really don't."

And she turned to walk him to the teachers' quarters as quickly as she could.

* * *

The term began to fly by almost immediately upon the students' arrival. Nervous first years, half of which looked remarkably like their older siblings or cousins, eyed Ginny with caution as they approached their broomsticks for the first time. Older students, particularly the fourth and fifth years, returned with taller frames and longer limbs and features that leaned towards adulthood more than wide-eyed children.

After the strain of their first recounter, she and Harry fell easily into a companionable partnership. Their schedules never did allow them much chance for discourse, save for the occasional deliberation over how to discipline a particularly difficult student or two. Beatrice never stopped teasing Ginny, of course, whenever the guys were out of earshot. But given the training Ginny had had growing up as the youngest Weasley, the teasing felt almost comforting, to a certain degree.

"Do all professors stay for Christmas?" Harry asked, when the second Quidditch match had ended, and celebrating students had fled the stands while teachers lingered behind.

"Christmas, right." Ginny toyed with her whistle for a quick moment before casting another cleaning spell. Harry chivalrously followed suit.

"Professor McGonagall talked to me this morning."

"About your long line of student fans?" Ginny grinned.

Harry groaned.

It was almost happy spending time with him this way. He, the hero of the wizarding world, reduced to a fresh first year learning the ropes of teaching as she, the seasoned veteran, helped him navigate his new reality.

After years in her brothers' shadows (and, quite frankly, another decade in Harry's and Hermione's), the reversal of roles brought her an almost empowering sort of feeling.

"How _do_ I make them stop, Gin?" Harry lamented, another cleaning spell done. "I can't exactly stop teaching them, can I?"

Ginny smiled. "Girls will have their crushes."

"But it's frightfully distracting - all the gazing and the giggling."

Ginny nodded. It was noble of Harry, really. God knew how much Carlisle and Winslet enjoyed basking in their students' admiration.

"Just ignore them," she advised casually. She approached the last row. "The less you are affected, the less they're encouraged."

"I suppose," Harry conceded. He smiled at her as she finished the last of the cleaning and walked back down to the pitch side by side with her. "I must admit - that is _not_ what McGonagall had to talk to me about this morning, however."

For some unnamed reason, Ginny felt her cheeks warm.

"What is it then?" She smiled at Harry before approaching the shed where she kept all her refereeing equipment.

"It's about Christmas."

"Christmas, right."

"She asked me if I wished to stay in Hogwarts, and I - wasn't sure about my plans."

She turned back to face him, whistle-free.

"Is there a reason not to?"

"I - " He fidgeted, for some reason. Ginny frowned. "I - I suppose I hadn't thought about it before."

Ginny nodded. "Is there a reason to then?"

Again, Harry paused.

She could not help wondering if being a teacher had robbed him of all his youthful certainty.

"Is this something you need help with, Harry?"

"I - yes."

"In what way?"

He hesitated for another few seconds more.

Then he asked, "Are you staying in Hogwarts for Christmas?"

"Me?" Ginny knew she sounded perfectly surprised. "I - I always go home to the Burrow. I - I thought you would know that - as I see you there every year, don't I?"

Harry had the good sense to look embarrassed.

"Right, right."

"Does that help?"

"It - it does."

"Are you joining us this year?"

"I - I suppose I am." Now, he brightened slightly.

It was strange, and almost endearing, to watch Harry act so clumsily.

"Do you floo there?" he asked.

"To the Burrow?"

"Yes."

"I - I generally shop at Hogsmeade first. Then perhaps I shop - just a little more - at Diagon Alley before heading home." She smiled. It was strange to admit to a hobby as girly as shopping to her fellow Gryffindor.

"May I come with?"

His response surprised her, as did the simple sincerity on his face.

Her mother would faint at the sight of them arriving together - but what could Ginny say?

And so she smiled instead. "Of course."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please do not be bothered by having students crushing on teachers. I do not support teacher-student relationships, but I have borne firsthand witness to plenty a student crush, from any gender. We won't be getting into anything problematic here! Like Harry said, a teacher-teacher crush is much better ;)


	4. Chapter 4

"Auntie Ginny! Unkwel Hawee!" A beautiful, blonde toddler announced happily the moment their feet landed on the Burrow's wooden floor.

"Vicky! You adorable girl!" Ginny smiled, letting go of Harry's hand to fly towards the girl who, now that Harry thought about it, was clearly Bill and Fleur's daughter. Children always did seem to grow at a magical pace whenever you didn't see them.

Harry smiled at the sight of weightless red and golden locks twirling in the air.

"Harry!" Ron called across the room. Harry tossed the bags to the side just in time to hug Ron back. "How's our latest Hogwarts man?"

Harry laughed.

He knew the ribbing was coming.

It was bound to happen to any perennial rule breaker who dared enough to become a teacher.

What he was far less certain of was the _other_ sort of the teasing that would inevitably come, once the family realized he had arrived hand-in-hand with the youngest Weasley sibling - and was carrying all her shopping spoils for her.

"Pwesents!" The young girl - _Victoire_ , Harry remembered - pointed at the pile at Harry's feet.

He traded a look with Ginny.

He smiled. "Not until tomorrow, Victoire."

"But Unkwel Hawee."

"Yes, but Unkwel Hawee!" Ron mimicked, with a roaring chuckle. "Why can't we open all our pwesents now?"

Harry shoved his friend on the shoulder.

The entire family gathered soon, and Harry found himself smiling and hugging and fielding 'Professor Potter' jokes for three solid hours into the evening. Ginny worked her way through her family far more enthusiastically, and a squeal or two unfailingly reverberated throughout the Burrow whenever she encountered a new member she hadn't seen for the past five months.

"Shall we have dinner?" Mrs. Weasley asked, every hour or so.

"Hermione isn't here yet," Ron answered, every time.

And when Hermione _finally_ arrived, in her ministry robes and her pulled-back, grown-up hair, no one had to be asked twice to flock around the table and its bountiful array of food.

Harry tried, and succeeded, in squeezing himself between Ron and Ginny mere seconds before Victoire claimed Ginny's other side.

"I'm so hungwy!" The eldest grandchild declared. "I _wove_ Chwistmas food!"

And the cheerfulness of the hour grew ever higher. Things were never truly quiet at the Burrow, but - with the exception of weddings - the Weasley family home had always seemed particularly boisterous during the holidays.

It was one of the things that always drew Harry to this place - well, that and, of course, the delicious food and the perfection of being able to treat everyone, particularly Ron and Ginny, as _family_.

She may well have made up the story about a curse on her boyfriends, but Harry did enjoy the occasional shared glances, the inside jokes, and the way she seemed to know all his favorite dishes without his having to ask her to pass them.

It was sweet, and personal, and achingly familiar in an almost tender sort of way.

It was - it was _heartwarming._ And he supposed he could settle and die happy if this really was all he was ever going to get out of her.

"We have _two_ teachers on our table this year!" Mr. Weasley said proudly, when he seemed to have eaten his fill.

"Two Aurors!" Ron added.

"Three ministry officials," Hermione amended.

"Two Triwizard champions." Bill smiled.

"Two mozers." Fleur smiled at Bill, then at Audrey.

"And _seven_ Quidditch Cup winners," Ginny said, a bright smile on her face. Eyes wandered up and down the table. Harry watched Ginny's gaze land on George. "Fred is _always_ here, with us."

The glint of gratefulness in George's eyes tugged at Harry's heart in a whole new way, and he couldn't help but slide a hand over Ginny's on the bench between them.

He thanked every deity he could in quiet supplication when she didn't pull away.

"Dessert for anyone?" Mrs. Weasley wiped her eye, stood, and asked the room at large. Hands shot up all the way down the table, and the best home cook in the wizarding world began to dole out servings in rapid succession.

Despite the generous provision at Hogwarts, Harry had never, _ever_ felt so full in his life.

He was so full, in fact, that he considered it a minor miracle that he didn't have to Apparate to the couch afterwards. The Weasley brothers - Ron, in particular - were quick to pile on to the same couch before long, and Harry was ceaselessly thankful that he had arrived on the beloved seating device first.

"So Harry." Ron burped, half drunk, as the firelight burned low. Harry giggled. Maybe he was half drunk himself. "What's going on between you and Ginny?"

"Nothing."

"Right," George slurred. "I could hear you two whispering sweet nothings with just _one_ ear!"

"No! Nothing's going on!" Harry twisted his neck to make sure that all the ladies were still sipping their tea in the kitchen, safely out of earshot, before facing the boys again. "We work together."

"So do you and Professor McGonagall." Mr. Weasley noted, bottle in hand.

"It's - different." Harry flushed.

Ron lazily propped his arm on Harry's shoulder. "So are you dating McGonagall?"

"No! Of course not!"

"But you're dating Ginny."

"I - it's not that - I mean, I - " Harry huffed.

Did he _really_ need a bunch of inebriated men to remind his inebriated self that he _wanted_ to date Ginny, to kiss Ginny, to make her someone special and permanent in his life - while she treated him as nothing more than a friend for the entire past term?

There were things he preferred to keep private, even from her family, after all.

"Nothing's going on," Harry muttered, feeling sour for the first time since term had ended.

"Are you sure?"

"I am, alright?" Harry sighed. He regarded Mr. Weasley for a moment, drinking in some courage from his knowing, fatherly eyes. "If there were - I'd be glad to share it."

Mr. Weasley's slow nod seemed to slow his sons' pressing.

"I'll hold you to that, son," he said simply, a small smirk on the side of his lips.

Harry nodded. "Yes, sir."

"We wouldn't want you to choose to teach at Hogwarts for nothing now, would we?"

And Harry felt almost uneasy at the sudden realization that Mr. Weasley may just know far more than he typically let on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked the Weasley family Christmas!


	5. Chapter 5

“

Is he expecting us?"

"I believe so." Harry smiled at her as they rounded the corner. The weather was nice, almost pretty, today given that it was the day after Christmas; and she was glad Harry had agreed to visit Teddy on foot. "I bring presents every year."

"Presents are an understatement." Ginny grinned at the haul they had draped all over their arms. Harry had offered to shrink the gifts, but even she had to admit that there was something special to a child when adults arrived with an array of items. "You spoil him, Harry."

"No one else does."

She knew he disliked pity. "He is loved, despite it all."

"I know." Harry smiled, and there was a softness in his eyes beneath the fringe of his overgrown hair. "I suppose we orphans just have to watch out for each other, that's all."

"Harry." She grasped him by the arm.

He stopped, sighed, and turned towards her with a small, sad smile. "No self-pity, I promise."

"Good - because you are loved too, despite it all."

She didn't say whom exactly he was loved by, and she was thankful he didn't ask her to clarify.

They walked companionably the rest of the way towards Andromeda's house. The snow melted in pockets around them. And Ginny wondered, every other puddle, how the Muggles ever managed to stay warm in such weather.

"Harry!" Teddy ran towards his godfather the moment Andromeda opened the door. The tall man and the small boy shared a hug. Ginny smiled. "Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas, boy." Harry patted Teddy on the head. "Do you remember Ginny?"

"Hello, Ted." She crouched down to greet him.

"Ginny." Teddy smiled sweetly before giving Ginny a hug as well.

"Shall we all come in before anyone catches a cold?" Andromeda urged, and everyone obeyed.

The place was a cozy one - and the warm colors and wealth of fabric were exactly like Ginny remembered from a childhood visit or two.

But things had changed too.

The streaks in Andromeda's hair leaned grey more than frosted blue. Theodore was an image on the wall and a bubbly namesake on the rug instead of a solid presence on the rocking chair.

The war left nothing untouched.

"Harry, I love it!" Teddy exclaimed over his first unwrapped present, the tiny Quidditch player zooming around him like a bee.

"I'm glad you like it." Harry smiled, a father in every way but truth. "Victoire has a female one."

"Is Victoire Vicky?"

Harry chuckled. "Yes, Vicky."

"Her hair is gold." Teddy touched his own locks. "My hair can be gold, but not today."

"But I love your red hair, Ted." Ginny walked over and sat down with the boys. "It looks just like mine - and it's frightfully festive."

"Really?"

"Yes."

The smile on Teddy's face was so reminiscent of Tonks' that Ginny had to fight back tears when the boy hugged her. "Thank you, Ginny."

"You are welcome, child."

The rest of the afternoon flitted away as Harry and Ginny watched Teddy Lupin revel over his new presents. Werewolf for a father or not, there was nothing in the child but goodness - and the two Hogwarts teachers wholeheartedly agreed that they had never met a student they were more eager to see in Hogwarts one day.

"Thank you, Andromeda." Harry lingered at the door before they left, his eyes clearly misty.

"Do visit during your school holidays," the older woman urged.

"I should." Harry nodded.

"And bring your girlfriend with you. Teddy likes her."

"I - we - " Harry shuffled, though his hand stayed entwined with Ginny's. He glanced shyly at her. She squeezed his hand gently. "I'll bring Ginny, if she'll let me."

"I would be glad to visit Teddy again." Ginny smiled.

"Good." Andromeda grinned.

And so it was that Teddy Lupin became a favorite common topic between Harry and Ginny as the rest of the holidays dwindled away at the Burrow. Harry seemed incapable of going a day without reliving the moment Teddy unwrapped his small Muggle tricycle, and Ginny constantly declared that she wished her hair were as versatile as Teddy's.

"I like your hair, Ginny, especially when you fly," Harry had said, when she made her comment again while packing up for the inevitable return to Hogwarts.

She stopped making the comment after that.

"Be good!" Dad shouted on his way out the door on the last morning, when Harry and Ginny were poised to Floo to Diagon Alley before Apparating to King's Cross.

Teachers had shopping to do as well.

"We won't," Ginny replied, with a smile, before Harry tossed the green powder into the flames.

The way he grinned at her before they jumped comforted her. And Ginny felt, for the first time in years, that she was no longer going to Hogwarts alone.

It had been strange, being the last one left behind, when all her brothers had graduated. The family was wealthier by then, and she had been given more liberty to buy better supplies for school than her brothers ever did. Things were supposed to be easier and better.

But it was different - hopping on the Hogwarts Express alone, and roaming the hallways as the only Weasley in sight. It was different - heading back to the castle every term while the rest of the family lived out life in the so-called 'real' world.

But with Harry beside her, she suddenly wasn't alone any longer.

"Ah, you're back," Maddox Carlisle remarked coldly, like a true Slytherin, when the two of them arrived at the faculty tower that evening. "I suppose I get to be the one to tell you then."

"Tell us what?" Ginny frowned.

"If the rumors are to be believed, McGonagall's been getting heat for refusing the requests for a Yule Ball."

"But the Triwizard Tournament isn't until next year," Harry countered.

"I know." Carlisle rolled his eyes. "But, of course, given how families tend to be much more concerned with their children's joy and social well-being these days, the requests for extracurricular events have never been stronger."

"So we are to have a Yule Ball in January?" Ginny still frowned.

"No, but a Valentine's Ball, like the Muggle tradition."

"I see."

"And, seeing as the two of you have chosen to take longer leaves and arrive a mere two days before the students." Carlisle's grin now looked positively gleeful. "Your friend Winslet has managed to volunteer you to plan the ball."

"Me?" Ginny glared at her colleague.

Carlisle's grin grew even wider. "The two of you, love. Now, wouldn't that be fun?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I did the Teddy scenes justice. And it's time for a ball!


	6. Chapter 6

"Not bad now, is it?" Ginny, her hair pinned up with a starlit glow, remarked beside him. Their seats provided them a wide view of the glistening Great Hall and all the students dancing all across the expansive space. It felt both unsettling and poetic that this very same hall had witnessed the Goblet of Fire, the Sorting Hat, and the Battle of Hogwarts before it hosted tonight's Valentine Ball extravagance.

"It's fantastic. You are a master at decorating spells, Gin." He turned to smile at her and was gratified with a beautiful smile in return.

A few hundred students twirled below them in elaborate dress robes, every girl dolled up beyond recognition.

But Harry had eyes for one, and only one.

"I worried I'd gone overboard, actually," Ginny admitted, her skin glowing above the elegant green layers of her gown. "Wouldn't want to undermine my authority on the pitch with frills and flowers."

"No one in their right mind would ever undermine you."

Ginny laughed. Her laughter was youthful and sweet, yet wise and tempered at the same time. "Thank you, Harry."

Somehow, the shadow of past Ginny that he thought he knew before Christmas had morphed into the reality of adult Ginny this past month of working on the ball together. She still had a girlish smile, a wicked sense of humor, and a brisk gait - but set against the tapestry of budding young students and all their mischief, she was strikingly _womanly_ in her own unique way.

The music tapered off as another song ended, and Harry gathered up all his bravado to shove his tongue into action.

"May I have this dance, Madam Weasley?" He extended a hand, a tentative smile tugging on his lips.

Ginny watched him first, without responding. He nearly retracted his offer.

"I'd be honored." She smiled, and she slid her hand into his.

Everything about the Valentine's Ball - from the choice of songs, the theme of colors, and the scent of delicious food lining the sides of the hall - drifted away into forgotten recesses of his mind. He knew there would be murmurs. Students always did like to gossip whenever two teachers acted in any way romantically towards each other. Frankly, he could have done without the stares.

But the vision of loveliness that was in his arms, looking up towards him with a breathtaking, if mischievous smile, pushed every other thought away into irrelevant oblivion. He guided her across the hall determinedly, joyfully. He felt her gasp when he surprised her with a dip, but Quidditch genius that she was, she regained her balance within a second of it all.

"Don't do that!" She whispered against his ear, sending shivers down his spine with her breath on his neck. "I could have fallen."

"I would have caught you," he promised.

And the reprimand in her eyes blended with a hint of tender warmth.

"Boys," she muttered, almost affectionately.

He pulled her taught against his body, bringing her face to his chin.

"Men," he corrected.

And together, they laughed.

The evening rolled on in perfection, and even the news of an early conclusion to the ball due to two Slytherins having been caught putting fire whiskey into the punch didn't ruin anything for Harry. They dutifully joined the other teachers in ushering the students away to their respective dormitories, though a handful of couples from rival houses took slightly longer to separate, before Ginny handed out orders to the house elves regarding the fastest way to put away the trappings in the Great Hall.

It had been a long a magical night - and there was plenty of an aftermath to reckon with.

One by one, the banners, the stage, the tables and the lights were all firmly packed away. And soon, only the two of them remained.

"That was remarkably more fun as a teacher than as a student," Ginny mentioned as they worked their way up the faculty tower, a half hour after the other teachers had straggled off to bed.

"I did feel rather powerful when the words I spoke had power to make a room full of young people crumple in disappointment."

Ginny grinned. "Enjoyed ourselves, didn't we?"

"Spectacularly." Harry smiled. He brushed his shoulder against hers when they turned the corner. She, at least, did not drop her smile.

They walked quietly until they reached the corridor separating their ways. It was a familiar passage. They had walked this way almost every other evening since Christmas.

But tonight, _something_ felt different.

They faced each other.

"Goodnight, Harry." Ginny stepped forward to give him a hug.

He hugged her back softly, relishing the scent of her perfume. It was his Amortentia - he knew that now.

"You've learned to dance remarkably well since our own time." She chuckled as she pulled away.

"May I try it again then - show it off to Ron and Hermione as proof?" He cocked his head to the side. He _had_ to do this tonight. There was never going to be a better time.

"You want to dance for my brother?"

"Over Easter, perhaps? When we - celebrate their inevitable engagement?"

Ginny sighed what appeared to be a sigh of relief. "You know then."

"Of Ron's plans to propose over Easter?"

"I suppose you are his best mate."

"And the person he can't stop talking to just to settle his own nerves." Harry groaned. "I asked him - if he wanted a quieter way of asking her - perhaps _not_ with all their family and friends around. But he wouldn't listen."

"I suppose he needs some crowd support."

"Oh, Ron."

"Oh, Ron, indeed." Ginny smiled, and the rest of the world faded once more.

"Anyways." Harry buried his hands in his pockets. "May I have _that_ dance, over Easter - Madam Weasley?"

The smile on her face etched deeper, growing almost richer in the prettiness of the dimly-lit hallway.

"I would be honored, Professor Potter."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's a little strange to experience a ball from the faculty's perspective, but our Hinny only have eyes for each other! Fluff, fluff, fluff :)


	7. Chapter 7

"Harry!"

He sighed at the sound of her voice and approaching footsteps. He didn't dislike her. He liked too much, in fact.

He just wasn't quite certain if he wished to be with _anybody_ at this particular moment.

"I - " She stopped just short of where he sat on the broad window sill, the sprawling view of the grounds a small comfort in light of his distress. "I came as soon as I heard."

Harry nodded, avoiding her gaze. Over the years, he had imagined, rather often, what it would take to have Ginny Weasley running towards him with open arms again the way she did in the Gryffindor common room a lifetime ago.

The fact that he could well be on his way to being fired was _not_ one of those scenarios.

"How is he?" Ginny slid on the other side of the window sill. "I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will have him fixed up in no time."

Harry sported something between a scoff and a chuckle. "I would hope so. She's a hundred years old and still fixes students like no one else can."

Ginny's smile, unlike her usual brilliant one, was subdued - indulgent, even.

It was the smile he saw her use on Ron whenever the latter was being rather inappropriately funny. It was the smile she sported at the sight of Hermione stuttering to get out the word 'yes' when trying to reply to Ron's proposal, all while rolling her eyes at the wording he'd used to ask.

And Harry wasn't sure if he wished very much to be compared to either of his friends at the moment.

"You weren't hurt, were you?" Ginny asked softly.

Harry closed his eyes. It was not his finest moment, and he wasn't particularly keen to relive it.

Yet relive it he must.

And this afternoon, as per McGonagall's instructions, he would be reliving it in front of the entire Hogwarts board of governors.

It wasn't so bad to practice a bit in front of the one person whose opinion he cared most about, he supposed.

"I'm alright. It's just - it was, it was practice - just practice." Harry leaned his head back against the stone walls with a sigh. "I'd softened the floors and cleared the furniture. No one was supposed to be hurt."

"You were only doing your job."

"I thought I was." Harry scoffed again. "I should have checked the wands beforehand for any cracks. To get a student so seriously injured, in class, is practically unpardonable."

"Harry." She pressed a hand on top of the one he'd placed on his knee.

She didn't say much, didn't say more.

Somehow, it was better off this way.

"When's the review?" She asked, when the sun dipped another degree towards the horizon.

Harry glanced at his watch. "In another hour."

Ginny nodded, her hair glowing in the afternoon sun. They'd skipped lunch, and she'd probably had to reschedule a class or two. It was the little sacrifices, at times, that endeared loved ones to us even more.

Harry sighed below his breath.

"Gin, if they ask me to leave - "

"Don't be silly," she interrupted him. Her hand closed more tightly around his. "Harry, I'm sure they'll understand."

"But the parents - "

"McGonagall will handle them, and Madam Pomfrey _will_ work wonders."

He looked at her softly. "Makes me wish we never came back after Easter."

"Harry, you _are_ a great teacher - and I would have done _anything_ to have a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher like you back then." There was so much earnestness in her voice that he almost believed her. "And if there is anything I can do to just make you see yourself the way I see you - "

He met her eyes.

And after nearly a year of working side by side - after three years of stolen glances at the Burrow over holidays and birthdays - after a hundred little dreams and hints and hopes - he leaned forward, slid his hands onto her jaw, and pulled her into a kiss.

She kissed him back, as she always did, as things were always meant to be between them, and he relished in the feeling of having her lips back where they most belonged. He drank her in, with kiss after kiss, the warmth of the sun flooding their side as the fervor of her kisses warmed him from the inside out. Her hands mapped his chest over his robes. His fingers drifted across the breadth of her shoulders.

It wasn't a good snogging session between two children. It wasn't the desperate kiss of a dying man.

It was tenderness and hope, renewal and love. It was a thousand eternal sensations rolled into one moment of glory. It was coming home - as they had always been fated to do.

"Ginny," he whispered, when they parted, both panting, with hooded eyes and swollen lips.

They said one could never forget one's first kiss.

But second first kisses were none too shabby either.

"Whatever they say," she whispered back, her voice hoarser than he'd expected, "I'm on your side - forever."

"Even if I were placed before the Wizgamot? Or banished to Azkaban?"

She chuckled, then she smiled. "Always one for the dramatic, Harry."

"I serve to entertain."

He kissed her again when they stood, lips and hands lingering in every way they could. It was not the best time, nor the best place.

But he was with the best person, and that all-important fact made everything else in life just a little bit better.

And he let that one thought buoy him as he steeled himself, took her hand, and began their trek towards the headmistress's office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to have some non-fluff at some point!


	8. Chapter 8

"And why, Mr. Potter, was Jonas Finnigan wielding a broken wand?"

Ginny listened from her post, masking any tremors she felt with professional calm. She had been granted special permission to watch at the back of the room, and she was not about to abuse it.

"As I was informed after the accident, his wand was cracked from a fall in the stairways earlier this morning," Harry answered, back straight and eyes level.

"And no one was made aware of this."

"Only the student himself."

"Pray, tell, Mr. Potter, why you believed it appropriate to practice such hexes with the students."

To most, Harry probably seemed to stand taller. Only Ginny noticed how he had stiffened.

"I am a professor for Defense of the Dark Arts, Governor," Harry replied with impressive serenity. "As this was a class of sixth years, I believed it appropriate for them to practice more tangibly in preparation for their N.E.W.T.s."

"We fear, Mr. Potter, in light of your colorful record as a student here at Hogwarts that the decision to place you in such a position may have been premature."

" _I_ invited Mr. Potter to teach at Hogwarts." Professor McGonagall's voice, and person, rose above the seated crowd. "I bear sole responsibility for any negligence on his part."

"It is not the headmistress's fault," Harry said quickly. Ginny struggled to decide if she admired his loyalty or cursed his foolhardy pride. "I - I stand by the lesson I was attempting to teach. I do, however, take responsibility for not thoroughly checking every student's wand before they began to practice the aforementioned spells."

"Have the Finnigans expressed any concern?" A voice piped up from the other end of the lengthy table.

"No," the man who had led the questioning thus far replied, "we have been fortunate in their understanding."

A wave of nods rippled through the gathering of powerful minds.

"In light of the Finnigans' good graces, I suppose we can discuss a lighter sentence for Mr. Potter."

Ginny swallowed the lump in her throat. It was never, _never_ a pleasure to hear such things spoken of a friend - or of any loved one, at all.

"I apologize once more, Governor, for my neglect," Harry repeated, repentance heavy in his tone.

This was no longer Harry Potter the boy - gleefully neglecting rules as he chased his father's legacy. This was Harry Potter, the man and professor, a hero determined to live with the chip on his shoulder.

The lead interrogator leaned to the side to confer with his associates. And Ginny, powered by something beyond herself, suddenly decided to speak.

"Good afternoon - sirs - madams," she blurted. Eyes turned towards her as she scurried up to Harry's side. "I - my name is Ginevra Weasley, and I am a fellow instructor here at Hogwarts."

McGonagall leveled a curious stare at her. Ginny shook it off.

"I - I simply wish to say that Mr. Potter has been nothing but exemplary as a professor this year." She trembled slightly at the humorless stares sent her way. She chose to stand taller, as Harry did. "The students have been eager to learn their Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons - and the strength of the curse that had caused Jonas Finnigan his injury is merely proof that the students had been eager to practice what they had learned."

She wondered if Harry appreciated what she was doing. She wondered if she herself appreciated what she was doing.

"I - I hope you let him stay," she continued, more softly than before. "He - he is the best professor the students could ever wish for."

Eventually, the governors resumed their discussion amongst themselves. And Ginny held her breath until she felt a warm, masculine hand reach for her smaller one and grasp it firmly.

"Thank you," Harry whispered.

"You're welcome," she whispered back, hoping hard that she had done him a favor rather than a disservice.

The murmurs cooled another minute later, and Ginny squeezed Harry's hand tightly before letting it go.

"We have decided," the man at the head of the table proclaimed, "that we shall _not_ suspend Mr. Potter's post as Hogwarts professor."

Ginny felt her lungs loosen.

"As for other duties, however," the leader continued, "we defer the decision to Professor McGonagall."

"We can hardly have a Gryffindor Head of House with such a record," a female voice said across the table.

Ginny frowned, suddenly unsure what the governors were discussing at all.

"I understand," Professor McGonagall replied with a deep nod. "It is perhaps understandable if families would not wish for a first year teacher to take Chalicia Prewett's post upon her retirement, particularly after such an accident has taken place."

Ginny noticed that Harry was frowning as well.

"But there is no need for us to insist upon Mr. Potter as next year's Head of House," the headmistress stated calmly. "We have another instructor present among us, with more experience with the students, who is a Gryffindor herself."

Ginny felt her mouth gape at all the nods now directed at her.

"Can we all concur that Mr. Potter may continue as Defense professor for the following year, while we invite Madam Weasley to care for our Gryffindor flock?"

Various murmurs of assent echoed throughout the room at Professor McGonagall's suggestion.

"Very well, it is settled," the Chief Governor stood. "Do continue to inform us of Jonas Finnigan's recovery process."

"Of course, sir." McGonagall bowed her head.

"I hereby dismiss this meeting."

And, almost on cue, the governors Disapparated into thin air.

McGonagall, the lone representative left, gave one look at Harry and Ginny, winked at them, and left as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe it's best this way!


	9. Chapter 9

They stood where they were for a long, impossible minute.

And, to Harry's relative embarrassment, it was Ginny who spoke first.

"I'm sorry for taking your promotion."

And it was a statement so simply said, so humorously ironic, that Harry chuckled, then chuckled, then laughed while Ginny did the exact same thing beside him.

"I had no idea they were searching for a new Head of House for Gryffindor."

"Me neither," she replied as they turned to face each other, "and I promise that is not the reason why I asked to accompany you."

"Isn't it? You've always been of the ambitious sort."

" _So_ ambitious - so much so that I turned down a professional contract to be a teacher. I have my eyes on being headmistress, you know."

"And I have my eye on being Chief Governor."

Almost on cue, both sets of eyes checked around them for any lingering ears.

And there was laughter and smiles all around when they looked at each other again.

"Oh, Ginny." He stepped up towards her. He clasped her hand in his, drinking in the wonder that was Ginevra Weasley. "Thank you."

"For stealing your job?"

Harry smirked. "For standing up for me, for standing _by_ me. There is - nothing that can compare to the comfort of knowing that you're on my side, no matter what."

She blinked quickly a few times, as if clearing something from her eyes. "Harry - "

"We've waited long enough, haven't we?"

She didn't reply. She only looked at him, with piercing yet tender eyes - with a gaze that he wished to share forever.

"I can't wait any longer," he said softly, stepping even closer towards her. "I've been the Chosen One and The Boy Who Lived and the person whose significance has come completely from things happening _to_ me long enough.

"I want to _make_ things happen - to _choose_ things happening. I want to share adventures and mentor our students and break curses - one by one."

They stood so closely now that he could feel her breathe on his chin, tickling and enticing the skin on his neck.

"I've broken one curse already." He cocked his head towards the vast table the governors had used. "I have full intent to break another."

She looked up to meet his eyes, and he wanted, with every fiber of his being, to kiss her to oblivion just then.

"Will you let me, Gin?"

Slowly, her lips curled into a smile. And she nodded.

And she leaned forwards just as he did for their lips to meet in a crushing, all-consuming kiss. The warmth that had radiated from her body seemed to merge with his own throbbing chest to flame into a burning furnace between them. Her hands wandered, though not as quickly as his did - and he soon found himself lifting her until she sat on the long, empty table, his body pressed against hers as he stood between her legs.

Their kisses teased, and taught, and taunted, alternating between tongue and lips and moans of humming approval.

And when they parted, both breathless and flushed, the only thing he had presence of mind to say was, " _That_ was worth the wait."

And she laughed, and he laughed.

And they nearly skipped the entire way, hand in hand, back to the faculty tower.

Later, they would talk about how to inform her family. Later, he would tell her how he intended to never, ever let her go again. Later, he would seal every promise with a kiss to her lips and her brow and her neck and her skin.

But, for now, all he could do was to focus on reining himself in until every student and teacher was safely out of sight before he ravished her again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this resolution! Just a short epilogue remains :)


	10. Chapter 10

_**Fourteen Years Later** _

* * *

"No, James, that is not how you wear Hogwarts robes." Ginny clucked her tongue lovingly at her eldest as he fidgeted in front of the mirror. She walked over and shifted the collar just so. "Though I must say they are a pretty set of robes. Your father spoils you all."

"I can't wait to be sorted into Gryffindor."

Ginny smiled. "You may be sorted in anything, dear. It does not matter."

"But the Fat Lady already likes me."

Ginny smiled, recalling the times she had brought along a young James to visit Hogwarts. Given the distraction that the toddler had caused, particularly amongst the female students, Professor McGonagall had been quick to request that she and Harry bring any current or future offspring along with them from Hogsmeade only during the holidays. Neville, to his credit, had tried to shield James from hearing most of that conversation.

"I don't doubt it, dear." Ginny smiled at her son's reflection.

"Mum, do we get to go with James?" A small voice called out from the door.

Ginny turned with a smile. "Of course, dear. But we can't stay once everyone else arrives. No parents are allowed once the Hogwarts Express arrives."

"But you and Dad are teachers. Albus said so. Can't we stay with James?" Lily's eyes began to well up, and Ginny swiftly crossed the room to hug her youngest.

"Oh, darling, we shall be fine. You can always write to him." She patted Lily's head.

"And we shall watch all the Quidditch matches, shan't we?" Albus, shaking slightly himself, asked a few steps behind Lily.

Ginny reached to touch his shoulder, smiling warmly. "We wouldn't miss it for the world."

The answer seemed to placate her two younger children, and blinking eyes gave way to soft smiles.

It hadn't been easy giving up her role as Head of House. She had grown rather attached to mothering the hard-headed Gryffindors after two years in the post. But at least their home's relative proximity to Hogwarts had allowed her to maintain her role as Quidditch referee even after she started mothering their own brood of Potters.

"How is James taking it? Is he as eager to leave the nest as we are to have him?" Harry's voice and presence emerged in the hallway. Ginny smiled. There were a few silver strands in his mop of messy hair now, even as the boyish charm in his witty green eyes remained the same. The children run inside their brother's room to fuss along with him.

"Oh, Harry, don't jest." She stood up to kiss her husband. "He may think you're serious."

"I suppose he shall benefit - and be troubled - by the distance. I can always bring home his laundry, just as much as I can deliver any howlers he may earn in person."

Ginny laughed. "So eager to execute special treat already, Deputy Headmaster? I had thought it your job to remain impartial."

"And impartial I shall be." Harry smiled, his eyes crinkling at the edges.

She kissed him again. It was addictive - kissing him. It had taken quite some diligent potion-drinking on both their parts to keep their family from growing as fast as the Weasleys' had. Ron and Hermione may have stopped at two, but Ginny always did feel making children was much too fun of an activity than was fair.

"Dad, Mum, that's disgusting!" James's voice echoed down the hallway.

Ginny bit her lip as she pulled away.

She turned to her son - her eldest, her first, her introduction to the wonderful and terrifying world of motherhood - and smirked.

"I suppose we all have our curses to bear."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluffy, fluff, fluff. Hinny forever :)


End file.
